Metering system for automatic telephone-exchanges.



J. W. LATTIG & C. L. GOODRUM.

METERING SYSTEM FOR AUTOMATIC TELEPHONE EXCHANGES.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT-24.1915.

& 1 m .9 I W U 3H a n4 ML M m, J T P a W1 Mess as.

flhm /es Gaodmmm JACOB W. LATTIG, 01E GLENSIDE, PENNSYLVANIA, AND CHARLES 1L. GOODRUM, OF NEW YORK, N. SE1, ASSIGNORS, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, T0 .WESTERN ELECTRIC CONE- PANY, INCOPORATED, A CORPORATION OF YORK.

METERING SYSTEM FOR AUTOMATIC TELEPHONE-X it CHANGES.

To all whom it may concern."

Be it known that we, JACOB W. LATTIG and CHARLES 1L. GooDnUM, citizens of the the following is a full, clear, concise, and

exact description.

This invention relates to telephone systems and more particularly to metering systems for automatic telephone exchanges.

The object of this invention is to rovlde a metering system for telephone exc anges, in which the subscribers are charged for the originated calls in accordance with the services rendered.-

According to one feature of thlS invention, the calling subscriber is chargedfor the time while he occupies a trunk line, and the rate of charge is made dependent upon the trunk in use. If the call is established though a certain trunk, the charge is made according to a redetermined rate, and 1f the call is exten' ed through another, a more.

expensive trunk, the charge is made at a higher rate.

According to another feature of thlsmvention, the calling subscriber is charged for the time whilehe employs a certain trunk for conversation with a called subscriber, the rate of this charge bein preterably higher than that made for t e use of the same trunk in the establishment of a connection. If the conversation is carried on through a more expensive trunk, a higher rate is charged.

Still another feature of this invention calls for a system in which the called subscriber is charged for the time while a trunk is employed for conversation, if a reversecharge subscribers line is called. By a reverse-charge subscriber is meant one, calls to whom are not to be charged against the calling but against the called subscriber.

The invention will be more fully understood from the followi'n detailed description of the system an the drawings in which Figures 1 and 2 taken together, show diagrammatically a telephone system embodying the present invention; and Fig. 3

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Npr. 3d, TQM. Application ma September at, 191a semi No. tam.

placed to the right of Fig. 1, represents a tale hone system embodyin those features of t is invention which re ate to the reverse-charge service.

As the automatic switches employed in the "building up of a connection form no 'piart of this invention, their structure and etail circuit arrangement ,will not be shown. The operation ofsuch switches is well-known in the art and a description of the same may be had from British Patent to a plicants No. 16,479-A, Au st'14 1905.

T 15 invention may be rea ily acla ted for use in connection with systems of wi ely varying character in which switches are employed for the building up of 'a connection by means of current impulses originated at the callingsubscribers station, or at an ope'rators position. v

Subscriber 1 desiring to initiate a call removes his receiver from the switch hook and trunk finder 2 is started to hunt for an idle trunk leading. to a selector switch 3. When trunk finder 2 reaches with its wipers 4, 5, 6 and 7, the terminals 10, 11, 12 and 13 of such a trunk, the trunk finder is arrested and the selected trunk is rendered busy in the well-known maner. Subscriber 1 sends now, by means of his impulse sender 14, the.

these impulses, selector switch 3 is set onto the terminal of a trunk leading to the office in which the called subscriber 8 is located and if the trunkis idle, selector 3 is arrested with its wipers on the terminals-of this trunk and the trunk is rendered inaccessible to other incoming calls. During the sending out of im 'ulses z. e., the intermittent grounding of t e up er and lower limbs of the connecting circuit (indicated in heavy lines) current flows from a common central battery through one of these limbs to ground at the substation 1. 1

Supposing that trunk line 15, 16, 17 was selected, and wipers 20, 21, 22, 23, 24 of selector 3 are arrested on terminals 25, 26,

' 27, 28, 29 of the selected trunk, a circuit is closed from ground through interrupter 30, terminal 29 and wiper 24 of selector 3, armature and back contact of polarized relay 31, back contact and armature of polarized relay 32, terminal 10 and wiper 4 of trunk finder 2, winding of polarized meter wiper 4 and terminal 10. of switch 2, arma-' interrupter 30 in the third row of magnet 33, to groundedbattery 34. Under the control of the interrupter 30, meter'magnet 33 causes, by means of a tram of wheels, a registering device of any well-known design to advance as lon as relays 31 and 32 remain deenergized. ormally the current flowing in the-connecting circult 1n WhlCh relays 31 and 32 are included is not of theproper polarity to energize these relays,

and therefore, during the building up of the connection, those relays will remain deenergized. Should selector switch 3 be set on a trunk which terminates in the third row of stationary contacts of its terminal bank instead of interrupter 30, interrupter 35 would be connected in circuit with the meter magnet 33 to cause said meter magnet to operate faster in order to cause the registration of the charge at a higher rate forthe use of this trunk than the charge was for the use of trunks 15, 16, 17.

The calling subscriber proceeds now to send out the second and third set of impulse for the setting of selector switch.36 and connector 37 located at the distant exchange. Preferably these impulses are .repeated to switches 36 and 37 by means of relays or other well-known repeating means.

'After' selector 36 and connector .37 have, of the connectmg been set, the two limbs circuit are supplied with current from grounded battery 40, through the outer armature and back contacts of relay 4-1' and called subscribers line is supplied with current fr om grounded battery 44, through the winding of relay 41, resistance 45, lower limb of the connecting circuit, station of subscriber 8,

upper limb-of the connecting circuit andresistance 46 to ground. When the called subscriber in res ones to the ringing cur- .reiit ap lied to ceiver comes energized and by attractin its armais line, removes his reom the switchhook, relay 41 betures reverses the direction of t e current flowing in the'upper limb of the talking circuit. and causes thereby the energization of polarized relay 32, which, by attracting its armature opens the circuit, connecting with meter magnet 33 and closes throu h its front contact ,a circuit from groun winding of polarized meter magnet 33,

ture and front contact of polarized relay 32 wiper 20 and terminal interrupter 47 to ground. As long as relay ing and called subscri meter magnet 33 causes the registering device to record the time orthe amount due for the time, of interrupter 47. Should a trunk terminating for instance,

' is used terrupter 61, the

ed battery 34, through the erably mounted 32 is energized, that-isi) as long as the callunder the control be I chargin -means mdividual' terminals of selector interrupter 48 would be connected in circuit with the meter magnet 33'and would cause the recording of a charge at a higher rate-than in the previously mentioned case. Interrupters 47 and 48 are preferably of a higher speed than interrupters 30 and 35, and therefore the charge made for the time while a trunk line is occupied for the building up of connection is lower than the charge made for the time while the trunk for conversation.

If the selector 3 is set on the row of contacts in which trunks individual to reverse-charge lines terminate, during the building up of the connection, the calling subscribers meter magnet 33 is operated in the same manner as above described. After switches 53 and '54 have been set by the calling subscriber to select the line of a reverse-charge subscriber 55, and the called subscriber removes his receiver, rela 56 becomes energized. Normally, groun ed battery 57 is connected to the two limbs of the connectingJ relay 32 remains deenergized, but polarized relays 31 and'polarized relay 69become energized. Relay 31 opens the circuit between interrupter 30 and meter magnet 33, stopping t ereby the meter in its operation.

olarized relay 69 by attracting its armature, closes a'circuit from ground through interrupter 61, its armature and front contact, w1per62 of selector 53, a conductor 63,

.wiper 64 of connector 54, conductor 65,

windings of meter magnet 66 to grounded battery 67. The meter magnet of the called subscrlber causes, under the control of inre 'stration of the time while the calling an called subscribers are engaged 1n conversation. As polarized relay 32 has not been energized, the calling subscribers meter does not operate during the conversation. 25 of selector 3 and} I nterrupters '30, 35, 47 and 48 are prefona constantly rotating common shaft.

5 :What is claimed is:

' system, a plurality of 126 ing a connection "L In. a telephone lines,. n 1eans for establish tween a callin and a called line, call to a line, and means or operating the same during the building up of said connection.

2. In a telephone system, a plurality of lines, automatic switches for establishing a connection between a calling and a called line, call charging means individual to a line, and means for actuatlng the same during the operation of said automatic switches.

3. In a telephone system, a plurality of lines, selector switches for establishing a connection between a calling and a called ing device to said register through said con- 'tacts of the polarized relay, and means controlled by the called line for changing the current flowing in said connecting circuit for causing said polarized relay to open said contacts.

5. In a telephone system, a plurality of lines, a plurality of trunks, automatic switches for establishing a connection between acalling and a called line through any one of said trunks, a call register, means for operating said call register at one rate during the operation of said switches, if the connection is established through a certain trunk, and means for operating said call register at another rate, durlng the operation of said switches, if the connection is established through another trunk.

6. In a telephone system, a plurality of lines, a plurality of trunks, automatic switches for establishing a connection between a calling and a called line through any one of said trunks, a call register, means for operating said call register at a low rate during the operation of said switches, if the connection is established through a certain trunk, and means for operating said call register at a higher rate during the operation of said switches, if the connection is established through another trunk.

7. In a telephone system, a plurality of lines, selector switches for establishing a connecting circuit between a calling and a called line, a call register, interrupting devices, a polarized relay included in said connecting; circuit and having normally closed and normally open contacts, means controlled by one of said switches to connect one of said interrupting devices to said register through the normally closed contacts of said relay, means controlled by the called line to change the flow of current in said connecting circuit for causing said relay 9. In a telephone system, a plurality of lines, automatic switches for establishing a COIll'lBCtlOIl. between a calling and a called 1 line, a call register, means for operating the same during the operation of said switches, and means controlled by the called line for operating said call register after the complete establishment of said connection.

10. In a telephone system, a plurality of lines, a plurality of trunks, automatic switches for establishing a connection between a calling and a called line through any one of said trunks, means for operating said call register during the operation of said switches, means for operatin said call register after the completion of t e connection at one rate if the connection was established through a certain number of trunks, and means or operating said call register after the com letion of the connection at another rate if the connection was established through another number of trunks.

11. In a telephone system, a plurality of lines, a plurality of trunks, automatic switches for establishing a connection between a calling and a called line through any one of said trunks, means for operating said call register at a low rate durin and IEI.

after the building up of said connection it the connection is established through a certain number of trunks, and means foroperating said call re' ister at a higher rate during and after the uilding up of the connection if the connection is established through another number of trunks.

12. In a telephone system, a plurality of lines, reverse-charge lines, automatic switches for establishing a connection between a calling and a called line, a call register for each of said lines, means for actuating the call register of the calling line during the operation of said switches, means for operating the call register of said'line after the complete establishment of said connection, and means for preventing said second operation of the register if the called line is a reversecharge line.

13. In a telephone system, a plurality of lines, a plurality of reverse-charge lines, 'a'utomatic switches for establishing a connection between a calling and a called line, a call register for each of said lines, means for operating the register of the calling line dur-- ing the operation of said switches, means 0 erative upon the complete establishment o? a connection with a reverse charge called line for preventing the operation of the register ofthe calling line, and means operated simultaneously with the last mentioned means for causing the operation of the register of the called line.

14. In a telephone system, a plurality of lines, reverse-charge lines, automatic switches for establishing a connection between a calling and a called line, a call registerfor each of said lines, a polarized relay having normally closed and normally open contacts, means controlled by one-of said switches to operate said register through said closed con tacts, during the operation of the other switches, means controlled by the called line for causmg said relay to actuate its contacts, means for operating said register through the actuated contacts after the com lete establishment of said connection, an means for preventing the second operation of the register if the called line is a reverse-charge line. A

15. In a telephone system, a plurality of lines, a plurality of reverse-charge lines, automatic switches for establishing a connecting circuit between a calling and a called line, a call reglster for each of saidlines, means for operating the register of the calling line during the operation of aid switches, a plurality of normally deenergized polarized relays included in series in said connecting circuit, means operative upon the establishment of a connection with a reverse-charge line for energizing said relays, means controlled by one of said relays to prevent the operation of the register of the calling line and means controlled by another of said relays for causing the o eration of the register individual to the cal ed line.

16. In a telephone s stem, a plurality of lines, a. pluralit 0 trunks, automatic switches for' esta lishin a connection between a calling and a ca ed line, a call register, two groups of interrupting devices, two

polarized relays for connecting an interrupt ing device of one group tosaid call re ister, and means for reversmg the flow oi: current through one .of said relays to cause the connection of an interrupting device of the other group of said ca register.

In witness whereof, hereunto subscribe my name this ninth day of Sept, A. D. 1915.

- JACOB W. LATI IG. Witness:

OHARLns CoML-Y. In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this seventeenth dayof September,

CHARLES L. GOODRUM. 

